Ross Cameron, the man who bravely stands firm for Putin

The Australian’s Strewth column on August 17, 2016:

One could mount the argument that Fairfax peaked in 2010 when it published (Ross) Cameron’s ode to the man Tony Abbott would one day want to shirt-front. It opened strongly: “A decade ago this month, Boris Yeltsin handed the reins of Russia to Vladimir Putin. It was a good day for Russia and the world.” And it finished with a flourish … “In view of his extraordinary record of achievement in office, it’s hard for me to see how anyone of good faith could regret his continued influence in Russia and the world.” Since then, there has been further trampling of media and brazen attacks on companies, the swallowing of Crimea, and a blue sky briefly filled with children, women and men tumbling from an exploding plane to a sunflower field below. As Cameron reflects to Strewth: “Nice to see it still reads so well six years later.”

Mark Colvin quoting a bit for Ross Cameron on Twitter that day:

“… and a blue sky briefly filled with children, women and men tumbling from an exploding plane to a sunflower field below.” @RossCameron4

Cameron replying:

Just wish we knew who pulled the trigger.

He’s consistent, at least. Cameron on Twitter on December 30, 2016:

I have the same low regard for Dutch MH17 and Oz MH370 inquiries. Both too political. Verdict led evidence.

Pondering the Skripal poisoning in Russia. Cameron on Sky News program Outsiders on March 8:

Everyone has now leapt into the “smear Russia” campaign … I just want to say I don’t buy it.

Herald Sun reporter Rob Harris on Twitter on March 16:

Looking forward to @RossCameron4’s continued support for Putin on #Outsiders. Ross and Jeremy Corbyn the last men standing by his side.

Cameron on Sky News on March 6:

There’s absolutely no question that when that plane came down, the ­entire sort of Western intelligence ­operation saw, well, this is our opportunity to hang this on Putin … It’s not as if Russia gained territory out of taking down this aeroplane. I am saying to you it could just as easily have been a mistake by a Russian rebel-supported junior commander who pulled the trigger at the wrong time. It could have been deliberately launched, for example, by a Ukrainian with the hope — successful, largely, as it turned out — of blaming Russia for the accident.

Well, Ross, your patience has paid off. Reuters on Thursday:

Dutch prosecutors identified a Russian military unit on Thursday as the source of the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing all 298 people on board.

The Australian yesterday:

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has ­accused Russia of running a “disinformation and propaganda” campaign against the MH17 investigation and says a new report points to Moscow’s involvement in the plane’s downing … Mr Abbott, who was prime minister when MH17 was shot down, said the probe “confirms what I’ve been saying almost from day one”. “There is now a very heavy onus on President Putin and Russia to apologise abjectly and make restitution to the families of those who have been killed.”

The hard, sad numbers. The Australian yesterday:

In 2014, 298 people, including 38 Australians, died when the plane was shot down.

On a cheerier note, Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi farewelling Greens senator Lee Rhiannon on Twitter yesterday:

I disagree with her politics but wish her well in post-parliamentary life.